Humpty-dumpty inflatable toy



Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUMFTY-DUMPTY INFLATABLE TOY Anna L. Ochs, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application May 27, 1953, Serial No. 357,855

(Cl. lifi-87) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a toy herein shown in one form as a Humpty Dumpty and involves the use of an outer fabric casing which is made up of a number of individual parts and so sewed together as to form the conguration of the Humpty Dumpty, and also which will provide means for mounting and holding arms and legs in a manner which will keep them extended from the overall body. rIhe invention further contemplates the use of a rubber balloon which may be inserted inside of the casing through a small opening, and then permits the balloon to be inflated through a neck which extends out through the casing to permit its tying oli and to afford a permanent extension as long as the balloon is inflated.

A primary feature of the invention is to provide a changeable cover or casing which may be cleaned such as by dry cleaning or actual Washing, and also which may be replaced by other casings of different caricatures. A still further important object of the invention is to provide a structure wherein the stem of the inflatable balloon affords a post or pedestal for holding a hat on the toy to have the crown held against permanent distortion, and which will permit ready access to that stem for inilation or deflation Without having to disturb any other part of the toy with the exception of lifting the hat from over the balloon stem.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the fact that trimmings of the toy, such for example as a collar, may be held in such manner that it will extend upwardly from its attachment to the casing, in order to maintain the collar-like appearance of this element. That is, by the structure employed in mounting the collar on the toy, the collar will always be maintained in an upright rather than in a drooping or .bedraggled condition.

Obviously, by using the ordinary toy balloon, the degree of ination may be had readily by blowing the balloon up to that degree of rmness desired, and moreover should the balloon spring a leak or actually blow out, the balloon may be readily replaced. In this regard, the toy balloon is inserted through the head or top end of the casing through an extremely small oriiice so that the balloon will be maintained within the casing for all practical purposes through its entire contour with the exception of the stem through which the balloon is inilated.

rlrhese and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of the one particular form of design as illustrated in .the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a View in front elevation of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in bottom plan;

Fig, 3 is a detail in vertical section on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 in Fig. '1;

Fig. 4 is a detail on an enlarged scale in vertical section of the leg and arm attaching structure;

Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation and partial section of the structure;

Fig. 6 is a view in top plan with a portion of the covering hat removed;

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of the rubber balloon; and

Fig. 8 is a view in vertical section on an enlarged scale on the line 8--8 in Fig. 5.

The overall configuration of the toy is ovoid in nature, and it is formed out of any suitable or desired fabric by sewing together a plurality of gores. There are a plurality of upper and lower gores, all of the gores being united in a common, small circle below the center of the toy.

An upper, front gore IE) is deiined by the lines ABCD. The line AB may be a straight line whereas the lines AC and BD are arcuate in nature to provide for the resultant, desired curvature. A rear gore II is formed to have substantially the same dimensions and contour as that of the front gore I ll. This rear gore I I is dened by the lines EFHG. It terminates on the small circle by the line GH. Then to complete the upper portion of the toy, there are provided the two side gores I2 and I3. These side gores are substantially equal in size and connguration to the front and back gores it and II. rlhe side gore IZ is defined by the lines FBDH and the other side gore i3 is defined by the lines AEGC. The side gores i2 and i3 likewise terminate in the small circle which may now be dened as that circle on which the points CDHG are found.

These upper gores It, I2, Il, and i3 are united one to the other by suitable hems along the lines respectively BD, AH, DG, and FC. By reason of the straight lines AB, AE, EF, and FB, a generally rectangular opening I4 is left at the extreme top end of the structure thus far described.

The under portion of the top is completed by forming and sewing together, such as by hems, thefront lower gore I5, the left side gore I6, the rear lower gore I, and the right lower gore I8, these gores being united one with the other along the lines DK, HK, GK, and CK, all meeting at a common central point K, and having their up per edges uniting respectively with the gores Iii, I2, II, and I3 on the small circle line as above dened.

This forms a general outer housing or casing of the doll, but in the formation of this casing, there are certain other elements to be attached.

A left arm i9 is formed to have some such conguration as that indicated in the drawings, the

major portion of the arm I9 being hollow and stued with some material 2S, such as cotton batting or the like, but this stuiing terminates on some approximate line, such as the line LM so as to leave a flat tab portion 2| which is carried between the front gore I@ and the left side gore I2 and united to those gores by stitching oi the hem all as indicated in Fig. 4. That is, the tab 2I lies between the inturned end portion 22 of the side gore I2 and the inturned portion 23 of the front gore portion III, and stitching 24 extends through these portions 22 and 23 and the intervening tab 2l. Thus the arm I9, while having a rounded major proportion, has the iiattened tab 2l secured to the toy, so that the arm le may hinge forwardly and rearwardly on that tab just outside of the Zone of emergence of the arm I9 from between the two gores 0 and I2. In like manner, a right hand arm 25 is secured between the gores Eli and I3, both arms I9 and Z5 being located above the small circle line generally designated oy the numeral 26, Fig. 1, and also in like manner there are legs 21 and 2B attached between the respective gores I5, I6 and l5, I5 to extend outwardly and downwardly as best indicated in The gore lil is provided with a face painted or printed thereon, in any suitable manner, herein shown as in the general style of the I-Iurnpty Dumpty. The imprinted matter or painted on matter may of course vary as may be desired.

A collar, generally designated by the numeral Sill, is centered on the front gore It* and carried around to substantially the central zones of the l side gores I2 and i3, and is confined to the doll to extend upwardly from the small circle 25. By reason of the peculiar mounting of this collar 3e, it is maintained in an outwardly and upwardly extending position when the overall housing or casing, designated by the numeral 3l, is innated as will hereinafter be explained. The collar 3D is mounted to extend, on the small circle 29, inwardly between the upper and lower gores it. i3, I, I5, and I2, I6, and by an inwardly extending portion designated by the numeral 32, Fig. 8, is interengaged between the inwardly extending portions 33 and 3!! of the upper and lower gores, such as gores I3 and I3, Fig. 8, by any suitable means, such as by stitching 35. The collar Sil is formed by a double thickness of material having an outer fold 35. Thus by reason of the eventual curvature of the overall casing Si, the collar 3b will be secured to extend upwardly and outwardly from the circle 26. As a iinishing touch, a bow tie 3l is attached to the lower gore l at the center of the collar 3Q, the collar 30 preferably being of the wing type with the over turned tabs 38 and 39.

A rubber 4balloon M3, Fig. '7, is provided in the usual manner with an iniiating neck 4 I. The balloon lo being of a very thin wall structure is inserted through the top opening ABFE, Fig. 6, to have the major portion of the balloon carried into the inside of the casing 3I, while the stem II is held outwardly of the casing 3l, so that the balloon may be inflated by blowing through this neck. 4I, this operation causing the balloon 40 to be inflated inside of the casing 3l, and thus extend the casing to its predetermined form as defined and permitted by the shapes of the various gores united as above explained. When the den sired degree of inflation has been had, the neck lli may be tied off by any suitable means, such as by a rubber band 42, Fig. 5, in which case the neck 4I will remain in a position extending from the casing 3 I.

Now to complete the toy, a hat generally designated by the numeral d is provided to cover over the opening ABFE and also to cover over the stem iL Preferably this hat 44 is secured to the casing 3| such as by stitching d5 going through the brim 46 of the hat and through the upper portion of the back gore I I, Fig. 6. This provides roughly a hinging line of the hat on the casing 3 i. The brim 46 carries a central crown #il which is somewhat cylindrical in shape and suliiciently large at least to freely encircle and enclose the balloon stem 4I, Fig. 5. The hat lill is retained in position by any suitable securing means carried by the forward end portion of the brim '35, herein shown as by the usual and well-known glove fastener means 43, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, wherein the front gore lil carries the post or button [i9 of the fastener, and the brim 46 carries the spring-cup 56 into which the post 49 springs, all in the usual and Well-known manner.

Thus it is to be seen that the stem 4i normally extends well within the crown il of the hat dfi, and roughly supports that crown il against complete downward or sidewise crushing, and also the crown di covers over the stem dl so as to cornplete the artistic appearance of the overall toy. Access to the stem 4I is quickly had by lifting up on the forward end of the brim 4B to disengage the fastener d8 so that the hat can be swung back on the stitching 45.

Therefore, while I have described my invention in minute detail in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations iniposed by the following claims.

I claim:

l. An inflatable toy comprising a substantially inelastic casing having a plurality of gores interseoured along marginal edge portions having an opening between the gores at an end ci the toy; legs and arms extending between said gore edge portions and secured therebetween; an elastic balloon having a neck portion and carried within the casing with said neck por ion extendu ing through said opening, said balloon being collapsble for insertion and removal through the opening; a hat hinged to the easing and having a crown receiving and covering said neck therein; means detachably holding the hat in position over said neck; said gores defining, when extended by said balloon, a generally ovoid figure and the gores being divided into upper and lower gores and united along a small circle below 'the center of the ligure, and a collar being secured to the ligure to extend around a front curving portion thereof and extending upwardly from said small oircle.

2. The structure of claim l in which said collar enters by a lower edge portion between said upper and lower gores to be held therebetween.

neferences Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,558,200 Murphy Oct. 20, i925 1,725,831 Sherman Aug. 27, 1929 1,754,558 Ivey Apr. 15, 1930 1,916,811 Schwartz July 4, 1933 2,503,948 Henry Apr. 11, 195D 

